A Place Beyond (16 page)

Niamh was in a private conference with her parents and Aoife. It was impossible to know what was happening. If Aoife was becoming human, did that mean she was dying?

I watched as serving girls brought trays of food and drink to the dining room where the meeting was being held.

Aodhan walked into the gathering room, his eyes following the serving girl into the dining room before meeting mine. He came to the sitting area and sat across from me, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

“Any luck?” I asked. He’d gone off to look for Niall the archer who’d attempted to kill Niamh. It had been one of Aoife’s guards, Seamus.

He didn’t respond right away. Rubbing his hands over his face, he groaned and opened his eyes. “Niall found them both, Seamus and Finn, hiding in the fháillan mine. He took care of them, and good riddance.”

I hesitated, not sure if I understood. “He killed them?”

Aodhan looked at me, his lips thin. “Yes. They killed humans for fun, Allison. Don’t forget that.”

I nodded, though my stomach soured just a little. I’d never get used to all the deaths, deserved or not.

“Aodhan?”

“Mmm?”

I drew a shaky breath. “Is Aoife dying?”

“Yes,” he said, his voice like iron. “She has done a fair job hiding it.”

“How long will she live?”

“I couldn’t say. Perhaps she still has a handful of years, possibly ten. But if she were to continue on the path she’s been on, I don’t think she’d last more than one.”

“No more than one?” I asked, slightly taken aback. “Do you think she knew?”

“It’s just a guess,” he said gravely. “I think she must have had some idea, but I doubt she knew just how quickly it was happening.”

“But Saoirse knew.” It wasn’t a question. When I first met Niamh, she’d told me her mother saw the future with absolute certainty. Saoirse led us to believe her visions had been affected by the iron Aoife brought to Tír na n’Óg. And we’d all believed it, but now I was pretty sure she’d known exactly what was going on.

“Possibly,” Aodhan said, reading the thoughts on my face.

There was a stir at the entry and the king and queen walked in, followed by their daughters. Aodhan and I stood as they entered the sitting area.

Niamh’s pale blue eyes met Aodhan’s, but I couldn’t make out her expression. Aoife walked past where we sat, pacing the edge of the room. I watched her warily, unsure what to expect.

Aodhan offered Saoirse his seat and she took it with a small nod of acknowledgment. Deaghlan seated himself by her side, his gaze sweeping over us as though we weren’t even there.

“We have come to an agreement,” Saoirse said as she glanced to where Aoife stood with her back to us, gazing at one of the tapestries lining the walls.

I nodded, trying to glean a clue as to what was coming.

“Aoife has done wrong to many. But to Liam more than anyone. In exchange for her own freedom, she has agreed to break the geis,” Saoirse said, knowing exactly where my thoughts were.

I couldn’t think of an appropriate response right away. I breathed in and out, feeling Saoirse’s solemn gaze on me. “Freedom?”

She didn’t answer my question, but pulled something out of the folds of the gown she wore. It was the fey globe Aoife had once been imprisoned in, shimmering in the palm of her hand.

“When? When will the geis be broken?” I asked.

“Immediately,” she said.

“What do we have to do? Does Liam need to be here?” I had more questions, but she didn’t seem to be in any hurry.

“No. It’s just a matter of destroying the amulet and uttering a few words. That is all.”

“That is all,” I repeated, feeling edgy and impatient.

More voices came from the entry. Liam and Ethan walked into the gathering room, and the sight of them both, alive and well, nearly brought me to my knees. On shaky legs, I ran to Liam, throwing my arms around his neck like a child.

My heart leaped in my throat as I clutched him, still barely able to believe he was really here. Even after seeing him in that cavern, some kind of defense mechanism kept me from really accepting he hadn’t fallen to his death.

Liam pulled back, the tips of his ears pink. “I’m glad to see you too,” he said, earning a laugh from Ethan.

I sniffed and laughed at myself, just a little embarrassed.

Liam’s jaw stiffened when he looked past me to where Aoife stood, watching us.

“She’s going to break the geis,” I said, alarmed by the look of fury igniting in his eyes.

Aodhan walked over to Liam, effectively blocking Aoife from his line of vision. “It’s good to see you my friend,” he said, clapping my father on the shoulder.

“Same to you,” Liam said, but he was still glaring at Aoife.

Ethan wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me to his side. His lips grazed my temple as he whispered, “They’re having a little trouble with Samantha.”

My heart stuttered. “What do you mean?”

Liam swallowed and cleared his throat. “She’s very weak. They don’t know if they can reverse all the damage from the iron poisoning.”

“But, she’s partially human. How could the iron affect her so much?” I asked, looking between Ethan and Liam.

Niamh came over to us, eyebrows furrowed. “What are the healers saying?”

“They didn’t tell us much,” Ethan said. “They’re still trying to figure out what to do. Ciarán’s awake and he’s…not happy.”

The glance he gave Aoife explained why he was
not happy.

I caught the dull, unfocused look on Saoirse’s face and looked at Niamh.
Is your mother seeing something?

I think so.

I watched the light come back into Saoirse’s eyes and waited to see if she knew anything more than Ethan did.

She stood without looking at any of us and glided to where Aoife stood. They spoke in hushed voices, too low for me to understand. Niamh’s lips pressed together and she hurried over to join them, followed by Deaghlan.

Annoyed, I started walking toward their little huddle. Aodhan followed me, grabbing my arm. I opened my mouth to protest, but he shook his head.

I didn’t have long to wait before Saoirse asked us to join them in the sitting area. I stood between Liam and Ethan, watching Aoife sit beside Deaghlan, staring despondently at her folded hands. Only hours ago her face had held a look of triumph.

“Samantha isn’t responding to the ministrations of our healers,” Saoirse said. “If something isn’t done soon, she may die.”

“What can be done for her?” I asked.

“There is only one way to keep her alive,” Saoirse said, glancing at Aoife.

I waited for her to continue, growing impatient. “Okay, what is it?”

Saoirse met my eyes, her lack of urgency infuriating. “Aoife must sacrifice her own life, or what’s left of it, to save Samantha.”

Samantha’s only chance at survival was Aoife. A chill passed through me.

She’s going to do it.

I stared at Niamh, not believing it for a second. She cocked an eyebrow, daring me to argue.

It was Aoife who spoke. “It’s not much of a decision Allison, don’t look so shocked.”

“What?”

“I can sit here and wait to die slowly, growing more hideous each day or end it now,” she shrugged. “There’s nothing left for me.”

I felt Liam stiffen beside me.

Aoife reached up and unclasped the delicate chain from around her neck. The amulet that swung from the chain held the geis she had placed on my father. Because of that little oval, my father couldn’t touch my mother, leaving her pining for just one touch. In the center of the amulet was a tiny red stone. With trembling fingers, Aoife squeezed the stone until it crunched under her thumb. She spoke in a language I couldn’t understand and Saoirse nodded.

“The geis is broken.”

Liam drew in a deep breath, his eyes riveted to the pulverized gem.

“I’ve caused you a great deal of suffering, Liam. I will do what is needed to keep our daughter alive. My only hope is that one day you will remember me without that look of hatred in your eyes.”

Liam swallowed hard and looked into Aoife’s eyes. “I hope so, too. Go to her now, before it’s too late.”

Saoirse and Deaghlan stood, followed by Aoife. With one last look at Liam, she left the room.

Niamh glanced at the door and tentatively touched Aodhan’s forearm. He looked into her eyes and words were exchanged between them silently before she hurried after her family.

“I can’t believe it’s broken,” Liam said, his voice barely loud enough to hear. “I’m afraid to hope.”

“Me too,” I said, squeezing his hand.

While we sat waiting, folk from the palace came and went. Aodhan asked if we were hungry, but none of us had any appetite.

“I wonder if there’s anything I can do,” I said.

“They’re almost done,” Aodhan said quietly.

A wave of relief ran through me. “Is Samantha okay?”

He nodded. “She hasn’t woken, but the exchange was successful. Niamh says Aoife can no longer stand on her own. Her hair has gone from gray to white.”

I glanced at Liam, not commenting on the communication between Niamh and Aodhan.

“Can we see Samantha?”

“Niamh’s on her way down now. You can ask her.”

As he spoke, Niamh walked into the room. “Best to let her rest now. Ciarán won’t let anyone disturb her, anyway.”

I smiled, thinking Ciarán made a very efficient guard dog.

“Maybe we should all rest a bit. I’d like to go back as soon as we’re quite sure Samantha is recovered,” Liam said, looking at me and Ethan.

“I’ll arrange for dinner to be served in the guest quarters, if you’d like,” Niamh said.

I nodded. Now that I knew Samantha would be okay, maybe I was hungry.

Ethan came with me to the springs to bathe even though he’d already gotten cleaned up after he’d been healed. I washed and dressed in my tank top and yoga pants.

We were both lost in our own thoughts and didn’t speak much. When we got back to the guest room, I felt strangely empty. It didn’t make sense. So many of the things I’d been hoping for had been accomplished.

Once we’d eaten, I sat on the bed and closed my eyes. I should be happy and celebrating, but I couldn’t even bring myself to smile.

“You okay?” Ethan said, sitting beside me so that our knees touched.

I looked at him. “Yeah,” I said. “I’m more than okay. Or I should be, at least. But I just feel, I don’t know. I feel drained.”

He was quiet for a moment as he reached out and took my hand. I watched him take his other hand and trace a finger over my knuckles down to my wrist. He kept his eyes down as he flipped my hand over and rubbed the pad of his thumb on the inside of my wrist.

“You’ve been under a lot of stress,” he said and his thumb traveled up the length of my arm. “Give yourself a break.”

“I guess,” I said, closing my eyes as he put my hand on his shoulder. He picked up my other wrist and kissed the sensitive skin below my palm, trailing his lips down as he pulled my arm up around his neck.

I leaned into him, inhaling his clean, soapy scent. He put his mouth to my ear like he wanted to tell me a secret, but his lips touched my neck. A tremor passed through me and my fingers smoothed over his hair, pulling him closer.

“I think you’re trying,” I said, barely able to get the words out. “To distract me.”

“Maybe,” he whispered, peppering kisses along my collarbone. “It’s working, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” I told him, pulling his mouth up to mine. My heartbeat pulsed in my ears as his lips molded to mine.

The kiss started slow but a frenzy began in my belly as his fingers moved from my shoulders down my sides and gripped my hips.

My hands moved to his face, feeling the light stubble on his cheeks. I gripped his jaw, holding him to me with greedy fingers. He pulled back for a breath and I saw a fire in his eyes that matched the way I felt.

He tightened his hands on my hips and lifted me onto his lap. I shuddered again as his fingers splayed over the curve of my backside.

“Can I see you again?” he said, bringing his lips to my jaw.

I closed my eyes and nodded. My breath hitched as his fingers grazed the skin beneath the edge of my tank top.